So......pets and the Army. In my experience it depends on the camp you live on, who you work with, where you work and the temperament of your dog. During training expect to not have your dog with you and seek other arrangements.

My experiences

Following a solid cliché, I have 2 black labradors. I have lived in the Single Living Accommodation (both in and out of the mess), Service Families Accommodation and Privately, Throughout my career they have been allowed on some camps and not allowed on others, sometimes together, sometimes apart. The variables as i see them are as follows:

The Camp.

Different policies exist on different camps. In my experience, newer infrastructure has not been too favourable to my dogs as, regardless of how clean we think our dogs are, shedding and muddy paws, as well as infrequent accidents take their toll on the buildings and the Quartermaster of the camp has the final say. I have always been allowed to have my dogs in my own living accommodation but you have to consider their welfare if you have to leave them there for long periods if they cannot come into work. Having them in my room has usually incurred extra cost for a final clean once i leave, and has sometimes meant the cleaning staff do not go in my room depending on their feelings towards dogs, which brings me to my next point

Who you work with.

Your dog will ALWAYS come second when it comes to maintaining a productive and inclusive work environment for all. My dogs have been fine on some camps and in one instance 2 of 9 on my office corridor, but on others i have not been able to have them in because either someone does not like dogs in the work place or because one of mine is noisy and barks at beards (the new beard policy means she will likely never return to the work place because she is now disruptive). This can be mitigated or exacerbated by my next point

Where you work.

While i have seen it sometimes, often, if you work on an open floor plate there are usually no dogs as the chances of them being disruptive to others increases as you work along side more people who's feelings you must consider. You tend to see dogs with those who work in their own offices and i have seen ranks as low as Lance Corporal with a dog when in these situations, almost always with a baby gate on their door out of respect for others. There is a perception that Officers can have dogs but soldiers cannot but where you work is usually the reason as soldiers work often sees them out of an office, such as on a busy tank park which is not conducive to having a pet with them. Each of the points above is ultimately dependant on my next point

The temperament of your dog.

If your dog is, like one of mine, a calm/lethargic, loveable pup who is happy to chill out in their bed, not bothered by others then you are usually good if all of the above haven't been a stopping point. However if your dog is aggressive to other dogs or people, like my other dog who is overly excitable and jumps up, or generally a nuisance through chewing or even odour then it might cause an issue and stop you having them in the work place.

All of these points also apply to other pets and i have seen a fish tank and even a preying mantis on a desk in the past but those were extremely unusual.

With all of these they are subject to change depending on who is in post, one Quartermaster or Commanding Officer may have differing feelings or opinions to another and these CAN change quickly with a new posting but ive not seen local policies change overnight. Whatever happens, if you bring in your pet you will need to have the appropriate vaccinations and liability insurances in place.

From what i have said above it might seem unlikely that you will be allowed your dog in work, but please dont take it that way. I have just tried to point out the common hurdles. As i said, ive had mine in a number of places of work and, when i have worked with NATO even seen soldiers of other nations be amazed at this relatively unique approach by the British Armed Forces and subsequently love having dogs in the work place.

Long winded explanation and as i said, experience not policy but hopefully that helps.

21 October, 2024 08:42